Don't Forget About the STAR Exemption

Our property taxes on Long Island are high compared to many parts of the country. The majority of our taxes is the school portion. There are easy ways to lower your Long Island property taxes aside from a grievance.

If you’ve filed a Nassau County property tax grievance, that’s one savvy way to hunt for property tax savings — but don’t stop there!!!

The Basic STAR is available to all homeowners who make less than $500,000 in combined yearly income, as long as they can show proof of residency.

The STAR is NOT a property tax grievance. A grievance can result in school, general and village/city (if applicable) tax savings, whereas the STAR applies exclusively to school taxes. Another difference is that a tax grievance requires proof that your property is being over-assessed.

The STAR merely requires completed forms and proof of owner occupancy.

One of the luxuries of the Basic STAR is that homeowners only have to file for it once, as long as the deed remains unchanged and the property is owner occupied.

Then there is the Enhanced STAR. This is available only to homeowners ages 65 and up, with a combined income of less than $79,050.

Those who qualify for the Enhanced STAR must file for it on a yearly basis.

Homeowners ages 65 and up can also qualify for the Senior Citizens Exemption as long as their combined income is less than $37,400.

While the STAR might be the most popular of the exemptions, there are many others available that are dependent upon homeowner health, income or professional background.

For example, there is the Partial Property Tax Exemption for Persons with Disabilities and Limited Incomes, which requires proof of ownership, occupancy, disability and limited income.

Homeowners who served in the U.S. Armed Forces — ranging all the way from World War I to the Persian Gulf conflict — are eligible for the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption.

There are also exemptions for volunteer firefighters, ambulance workers and members of the clergy.

For more information about these exemptions and their respective applications, please visit the following link:

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Assessor/Online%20Forms/exempt.html

File for any exemption before April 1, 2013, and get yourself the maximum possible savings!